Full text: China-Africa joint statement on deepening cooperation within the framework of the Global Development Initiative

China-Africa Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative

1. The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was convened from September 4 to 6, 2024, in Beijing. Heads of State and Government and heads of delegations from China and 53 African countries, and Chairperson of the African Union Commission (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Parties”) attended the meeting. Parties unanimously agreed to release the China-Africa Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative (GDI).

2. Parties recognized that the world today is going through profound changes unseen in a century, global development has come to a critical juncture, and developing countries are confronted with severe challenges in attaining the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The GDI proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, highly compatible with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries, has injected strong impetus into common development across the world. Parties expressed their readiness to step up strategic coordination and deepen development cooperation under the GDI, to contribute to the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

3. Parties recalled that since the launch of the GDI, China and Africa have joined forces and mutually supported each other in exploring paths towards modernization, further implementing the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, advancing the nine programs to a high standard, as well as completing 175 “small and beautiful” livelihood cooperation projects. More than 30 African members of the FOCAC have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI and the Global Development Promotion Center Network to put in place an efficient working mechanism and platform for alignment in development policies, coordination of development resources and facilitation of joint actions.

4. Parties called on the international community to put development front and center on the international agenda and demonstrate its political sincerity by prioritizing support to address the difficulties and challenges faced by developing countries, especially the least developed countries in Africa, in their pursuit of sustainable development. We urged developed countries to fulfill their Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment to developing countries, especially African countries.

5. Parties firmly believe that China-Africa cooperation stands as a fine example of new-model South-South cooperation. Parties agreed to strive for greater synergy between the GDI and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries; expedite the implementation of the ten partnership actions for modernization, the Initiative on Supporting Africa’s Industrialization, the Plan for China Supporting Africa’s Agricultural Modernization, and the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development, and support the implementation of Africa-wide plans such as the Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa, the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme, and the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa.

6. Parties agreed to support the United Nations in steering and coordinating global development cooperation and increase the representation and voice of the Global South represented by China and Africa in global governance. They will jointly endeavor to forge a united, equal, balanced and inclusive global development partnership by leveraging the Group of Friends of the GDI and the Global Development Promotion Center Network and relying on multilateral platforms such as the China-Africa (Ethiopia)-UN (UNIDO) Center of Excellence.

7. Parties agreed to intensify policy dialogue, experience sharing, capacity building and practical cooperation, with a focus on poverty alleviation, food security, healthcare, industrialization, climate change and green development, connectivity in the digital era, and human resources development. China is poised to create more exchange, training and scholarship opportunities in China to empower African youth for sustainable development.

8. Parties agreed to develop and utilize the Global Development Project Pool and the Global Development Capital Pool following the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and make the most of the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and the special fund of USD 14 billion for the GDI implementation. Continued efforts will be made to explore new financing ways of international development cooperation and deepen bilateral, multilateral and tripartite cooperation. More development cooperation projects will be launched to benefit African countries. Parties will accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through concerted efforts.